The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-20

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So religion is not in churches, but in hu.
man sosls. The trouble with the church
is that it has put too much emphasis on
creed and too little on character; too
much on what men believe, and too little
on what they are and should be. I do
not know an instance in history when at
a church trial it was asked of man lis
he good? What sort of man is hep But
always it has been asked What does he
believed? This it was that burned and
hanged witches in our country. and per-
secuted martyrs in all mes,-difference
of belief.
"The church has never been large
enough to hold more than one idea at
time, and so when man got new idea
he had to build new church to put it in.
In the sixteenth century there wasn't
room in the church for Luther's idea
Of individual freedom. and 30 he had
to inaugurate the Protestant church.
John Wesley couldn't find room for his
idea in the established church, 80 he
founded another. Somebody had an idea
that man couldn't be saved unless he
was put under water, and SO the Baptist
church arose. Another party claimed
that God was not three persons, but one,
and SO we have the Unitarian church.
Here was party that raised the white
flag of hope above the dark waters of di-
vine wrath, and the Universalist church
was born. And SO it goes on; but when
you have them all, what do you find?
You find that half the people are outside
them all. I can take you to town OF
300 people, where there are eight churches,
and still the people are not all housed.
The world is full OF so-called infidelity.
The masses are outside, and are not gath
cred. Why is this2 Not because they
object to the Lords prayer, or the Ser.
mon on the Mount, or the 18th chapter of
Corinthians, but because there are GER
tain follies and absurdities in the churches
which they cannot accept, and 80 they re-
main outside, and are called infidels. We
must rid the church of all these follies
and errors. We must recognize the BROTH
erhood of men, base salvation on charac-
ter instead of creed, and rise high enough
to see over the walls OF sect into the grand
fields Of universal religion in the souls OF
men,"
In closing, DR.. Thomas paid an elo-
quent tributeto the power of the press as
force in society. He spoke OF the daily pa
per which brings to the reader the distilled
essence of the worlds life, and pleaded
for purity and honor among the editorial
fraternity. He spoke feelingly Of Charles
Dickens, who, touching with his pen the
ranks of the poor and unfortunate, march
ed them into the homes of England's aris-
tocracy, teaching them lessons of pity
and philanthropy. This, he said, was
done by the power of the press. The
lecture awakened high enthusiasm among
the audience, and many regret that full
publication was not possible.
Sunday, Aug.7
At the Lakeside School Of New Theol-
ogy was day full of interest. The at
tendance was good, and the grounds pre-
sented an animated appearance. In the
forenoon DR.. j. G.. Townsend delivered
an earnest and eloquent sermon on "The
Gospel Demanded by Our Times" He
showed that while there is an essential
sympathy between the thoughts OF all
times, different ages require different ex-
pressions of their thought. Men every
where have the same hopes, fears and
aspirations, but each age has its own
special needs. Theology, which is the
explanation of facts present in all ages,
must itself change as conditions and
thought change. Our time demands an
adjustment of theology to advanced
thought and larger, richer life. The gos-
pei which shall meet the needs of our
times must release us from the unreal
fears which have imprisoned souls; it
must be an education; it must come as an
inspiration of happiness, and of COM
munion and strength. A gospel which
vacates the world of God is no gospel.
The coming gospel will reveal God every
where.
In the afternoon DR.. FL. W. Thomas, of
Chicago, gave stirring sermon on "The
Cross OF Christ in the Light of Modern
Thought" "We have no disposition"
said the speaker, "to tear down, to shake
the beliefs of people. Rather this new
movement aims to adjust facts, to har-
monize faith and knowledge. Neither
have we created any difficulties in faith.
In spite of all the theological schools, in
spite OF the fact that children are taken by
the church right from the arms of their
parents and put in religious training. the
world is full of skepticism and ques-
tionings. We find our age riven with
great seams of doubt. We have not
created these doubts, but we must face
them. Now suppose many of the old
forms of faith are wrong, and must go,
and they are going, whether we are
willing or not,-what is left? Why the
world is here, and people are here-you
haven't removed things at all, only the
cries. We have God; not the angry God
Of old, but the higher and better thought
of God, the Father OF all spirits. We
have the cross, symbol Of the self-sac-
rificing love OF God, reaching out to